Improvement in spring and body braces for vehicles



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

OHRISTGPHER C. GLEASON, OF WAUGONDA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND L. M. KIMBALL.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING AND BODY BRACES FOR VEHICLES.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 77,276, dated April 28, 1868.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHRIsToPHER C. GLEA- SON, of Wauconda, in the county of Lake, and in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Brace for the Springs and Body of a Vehicle; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to secure the body of a vehicle from having any motion longitudinally, or in the direction of the length of the perch, and consequently prevent anyv tendency in the springs to work loose in their connections with the body and carriage-frame, while at the same time the nature -of the invention is such as that the parts will work together without noise, and without interfering with the freedom and elasticity of the springs.

In the drawing, A is the perch of a carriageframe. B is the hindmost axle-tree. G is the bolster and fth-wheel, that rest on the front axle-tree. (Not shown.) D D are the springs, secured' in the ordinary manner at each end of the perch. E represents a strip out of the bottom of the body ofl a carriage, connecting and secured to the springs D. To the center of the bottom ofthe body E, or at a point midway between the springs, are jointed two levers, a a, and a similar pair of levers, b b, are jointed to the top of the perch, midway between the springs. The levers a and b are also connected by jointpins, so that the four levers constitute a double toggle-joint, the center pivots of which will separate as the springs D are pressed down and the body E approaches the perch A. From opposite sides of the levers a a, at a point between their joints with the levers b and the body E, project pins or bolts, to which are attached double flexible straps F, composed of leather,

webbing, gum beltin g, or any other suitable material. The straps extend from the levers a, in opposite directions, toward the ends of the perch A, where they are attached to loops c, of metal, secured to the springs D, or to the perch in their immediate vicinity. The ends of each strap will bejoined by a buckle, or by some equivalent device that will allow them to be tightened when they shall have become slackened by use.

It will be seen that as the body E is depressed, the straps F will be kept extended by the spreading of the levers a, while each strap acts as a tie to keep the body from having any longitudinal motion, whether the body be s0 depressed as to contract the springs D equally or otherwise.

The use of the strap as herein described prevents noise or rattling, which would occur from the use of a rigid bar or rod of metal, and the slight degree of elasticity possessed by the strap will prevent any unpleasant jerk or jar from an upward bound of the body on the springs, and obviate all danger of the fracture of the springs.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The levers a and b, and straps F F, arranged as described, in combination with perch A and body E, the whole arranged and operating as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above described brace for the springsand body of vehicles I have hereunto signed my name this 9th day of December, 1867.

cIIEIsTorHEnc. GLEAsoN.

Witnesses:

II. S. TRUII/IBULL, W. I. MURFITT. 

